InterMat Staff Predictions: Steve Elwood

125: Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) over Jesse Delgado (Illinois)
Ever since watching Nahshon Garrett at the National Duals, I knew I was picking him. His speed and power will propel him past Nico in the semis and get the win in a back-and-forth affair with the returning champ. Cornell keeps the streak alive with another champion.

133: Tony Ramos (Iowa) over Joe Colon (Northern Iowa)
The Iowa senior has a tough row and will get tested from the quarters on. It's Tony's turn.

141: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) over Mitchell Port (Edinboro)
I can't imagine Stieber on any part of the podium except the top. It doesn't matter who the opponent is. He's that much better.

149: Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) over Jake Sueflohn (Nebraska)
I like Maple to quiet the critics. He's the most underrated returning champion.

157: Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) over James Green (Nebraska)
This is the hardest weight class to handicap and it's possible neither of these two will make it. Dieringer takes it in the most exciting finals match of the night.

165: David Taylor (Penn State) over Nick Sulzer (Virginia)
The easiest pick of the 10. Unless there's a weird injury, Taylor rolls through the field.

174: Andrew Howe (Oklahoma) over Chris Perry (Oklahoma State)
In a low-scoring bout, Howe wins the title. It won't be pretty and it won't be that exciting, but he gets it done.

184: Ed Ruth (Penn State) over Jimmy Sheptock (Maryland)
This is the last of the slam dunks. He won't dominate like his teammate Taylor, but Ruth gets his third title.

197: J'den Cox (Missouri) over Nick Heflin (Ohio State)
This is nothing more than a hunch. Cox could just as easily lose in the second round. But I'm going in all the way with Cox.

285: Tony Nelson (Minnesota) over Mike McMullen (Northwestern)
It doesn't matter whether you like his style, the man gets it done. Nelson wins three in a row.

"dominate" him? That may be a bit of an extreme characterization. Colon had a TD and wasn't able to ride him very long. Ramos made a poor shot and got caught, tightly I'd add, and was thrown to his back. Anyone caught in the position he was in would have been pinned. I'll give you that Ramos has been much too conservative against higher caliber wrestlers this year, especially as of late, but you'd be foolish to dismiss him. We'll know Sat. night.